Detroit Lions RB Joique Bell carries the load in the second half, one week after critical fumble

AP PhotoThe Detroit Lions split playing time evenly between Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell with one Leshoure playing the first half and Joique taking over for the final two quarters.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions' ground game is developing into an even time share, divided by halftime.

Against the Seattle Seahawks, starter Mikel Leshoure had nine carries and three receptions through two quarters, but gave way to Joique Bell in the second half. Leshoure had just one touch the rest of the way, a seven-yard run early in the third quarter, while Bell racked up seven carries and four receptions for 58 total yards.

"Leshoure really wasn't an injury situation," coach Jim Schwartz said. "Joique was doing some good things for us, and we were rotating our backs through."

After being inactive the past two games, veteran Kevin Smith was also back in the mix. Used primarily as a blocker on the 12 snaps he played, he also had a seven-yard reception and a one-yard run on a 1st-and-goal situation from the 2-yard line.

Leshoure and Bell each fumbled last week in a Monday night loss to the Chicago Bears. Both turnovers occurred in the red zone, with Bell losing the ball while trying to leap over the pile near the goal line.

The Lions used Bell's tendency to leave his feet to their advantage on a fourth-quarter touchdown play against the Seahawks. After getting stuffed on first and second down at the goal line, the Lions faked a Bell plunge over the top on third down. The Seahawks defenders were frozen long enough for quarterback Matthew Stafford to bootleg to the right for the easy score.

"That's something we worked on this week," Bell said. "I knew they had seen me jump over the pile last week, so I knew they would honor it. That's exactly what they did and Matt made a great play."

Bell was grateful his coaches maintained faith in him after the blunder in Chicago. He said no one was more embarrassed and angered by the fumble than him.

"I came out this week in practice with the sole focus of ball security, ball security, ball security."

Bell and the Lions did an excellent job protecting the football against the Seahawks. Detroit didn't fumble the ball once.